A Practical Introduction to Network Neuroscience for Communication Researchers

Abstract

The increasing adoption of brain imaging methods has greatly augmented our understanding of the neural underpinnings of communication processes. Enabled by recent advancements in mathematics and computational infrastructure, researchers have begun to move beyond traditional univariate analytic techniques in favor of methods that consider the brain in terms of evolving networks of interactions between brain regions. This network neuroscience approach is a potential boon to communication and media psychology research but also requires a careful look at the complications inherent in adopting a novel (and complex) methodological tool. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of network neuroscience in view of the needs of communication neuroscientists, discussing considerations that must be taken into account when constructing networks from neuroimaging data and conducting statistical tests on these networks. Throughout the manuscript, we highlight research domains in which network neuroscience is likely to be particularly useful for increasing theoretical clarity in communication and media psychology research.